Ayers’ film credits for character design include “Star Trek XI,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Fantastic Four,” “Iron Man,” “The Incredible Hulk,” and “Men in Black 2.” In the spring of 2005 Ayers was diagnosed with leukemia, a type of blood cancer. One year later, he started a sketchbook and drew one animal each day for a year to help with his healing process. His SMU show, “The Daily Zoo,” will include a variety of these sketches — now published in the book, “The Daily Zoo: Keeping the Doctor at Bay with a Drawing a Day.”

In “Contemplation,” Costa will display work that serves as a metaphor about the religious imagination, reincarnation and the changing states of consciousness. Her pieces, carved from basswood, have a bulbous shape, from which she is able to create a “moment of blissful liberation.” Costa says, in her view, that humanity is in a constant state of changing and metamorphosis, and she aspires to reflect that change in her work.

A closing reception will be held 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the galleries, located in the Toner Student Center. Ayers will be present for the show’s closing to sign his book, which will be available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds from “The Daily Zoo” is used to support cancer-related charities and research.

Admission is free and open to the public, and gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For more information, call (507) 457-1652.

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Page Theatre stage will come alive with the colorful costumes and artistic acrobatics of the Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.

The world-renowned ensemble of 80 folk dancers and musicians will showcase authentic Ukrainian costumes, regional music and lively, dramatic stunts as members leap through the air and spin like tops.

The Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company, founded in 1937 by ballet master Pavlo Virsky, embraces the charm, beauty, and folk dance traditions of its homeland and shares them with audiences in the four corners of the world. Clad in colorful clothing and blessed with grace, the company performs dances filled with romance, optimism, humor and occasionally sorrow.

Tickets for this Page Series performance are $27 for adults and $25 for seniors and students and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

WINONA, Minn. — In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT) will conduct a workshop on the use of puppets and storytelling in the classroom from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Bluffview Montessori School.

The workshop, hosted by Saint Mary’s University and supported in part by the Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Across America grant, will include details on how to use paper, glue, paint and chicken wire to engage students in learning about complex issues. HOBT artists will present hands-on instruction in puppetry and will discuss how to integrate the arts into the classroom in core subjects such as science. This is valid for 2 hours CEU.

The workshop coincides with HOBT’s Oct. 23 performance of “Beneath the Surface” at Saint Mary’s. During the Page Series performance, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre will present a circus of wonderment about our relationship to water beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Page Theatre. Tickets are $12, $5 for students and seniors, and are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, or online at www.pagetheatre.org.

The cost for the workshop is $15. Space is limited, and registration must be made by Wednesday, Oct. 14. Contact Jennifer Fanello at the Saint Mary’s Box Office by calling (507) 457-1716 or e-mailing jfanello@smumn.edu.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — Three new business majors — sport management, entrepreneurship, and human resource management — are being offered this fall on the Saint Mary’s University campus.

According to Tom Marpe, dean of SMU’s School of Business, the new majors grew from an increasing demand for specialized study by students and employers, as well as a growing job market in these areas.

Business majors at Saint Mary’s combine course work in the theory and practice of business with studies in the liberal arts. The study of business, when coupled with liberal arts, provides students with a broad educational foundation from which to enter a rapidly changing business environment. Saint Mary’s students now have the option to choose from six majors: accounting, entrepreneurship, human resource management, international business, marketing and sport management.

The sport management major is in response to the growth of sports in our culture and the growing job opportunities in this area. The entrepreneurship major has been added in response to the current economic climate and the expectation that entrepreneurs will be the drivers of future economic growth. And the human resource management major was instituted in response to employer demands for professionals with this skill set.

Friday, September 18, 2009

In recognition of national “Make a Difference Day,” Saint Mary’s University’s Volunteer Services group is inviting Winona nonprofit agencies to submit requests for service.

Do you need someone to help with your fall cleaning, to rake leaves, to do some painting, or to help with construction? Approximately 150 Saint Mary’s University students will be teamed up from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help groups and organizations on Saturday, Oct. 24, in recognition of “Make a Difference Day.”

“Make a Difference Day” is the most encompassing national day of helping others, a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Created by USA WEEKEND magazine, this annual event takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. SMU is proud to join the millions of people throughout the nation who are participating.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — Tickets are sold out for the first Saint Mary’s University Page Series event, Buckets and Tap Shoes.

This company of musicians, percussionists and rhythm tap dancers will perform in SMU’s Page Theatre at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2.

The group uses five-gallon buckets, metal cans, barrels, found objects and tap shoes to create rhythms. They also mix in original live funk music, improvisation and some magic tricks.

Members of the troupe will lead a tap dance workshop at Valéncia Arts Center from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct.1. For more information about fees, dress, and skill levels required, call (507) 453-5501.

Friday, September 11, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — Pat and Jerry Papenfuss, owners of the Result Radio Group, have donated $50,000 to Saint Mary’s University for an endowed scholarship, in their name, designated for students with financial need. The scholarship was awarded for the first time this fall, to a Winona-area student. Jerry Papenfuss is a 1962 graduate of Saint Mary’s.

“We’ve both been very blessed with our college experiences, and we recognize the importance of a good education,” said Jerry Papenfuss. “Saint Mary’s instills the knowledge students need to be competitive in the evolving business world, and we especially appreciate the Lasallian, values-based education the university provides.”

“In this challenging economic climate, as more and more students are finding it difficult to pay for college, scholarship assistance like this is a blessing,” said Saint Mary’s President Brother William Mann. “Donations like these will make a difference in the lives of many future students.”

About 90 percent of all SMU undergraduates receive financial aid of some kind. In 2009-10, SMU will provide over $12 million in financial aid, including scholarships, to students.

For more information, contact Joe Sweeney at jsweeney@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1495.

• The Saint Mary’s University Department of Theatre, under the direction of Judy Myers, will stage “Fallen Angels” Sept. 24-27 at Page Theatre. This three-act comedy takes place in the 1920s and follows best friends Julia and Jane as they wait for a visit from Maurice, a French seducer who had affairs with both women before they were married. While their husbands play golf, the women quarrel, make up, and get a little tipsy on champagne. They then must face their husbands, who unexpectedly return early. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 24-26, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

• SMU jazz groups will kick off their year with a fall blast at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, in Figliulo Recital Hall, located in the Performance Center. Jazz Combo I (a new and hot jazz septet) will fire off the show with jazz classics like Horace Silver’s “The Preacher” and the Miles Davis classic “Freddie The Freeloader.” The 18-piece Jazz Ensemble follows with some great selections and soloists including “Keep The Stick,” a new Dean Sorenson composition that will feature trombonist Tom Briese of Rochester, Minn. They will also perform “The Nasty Blues” by Mike Carubia, featuring many of the soloists in the band; “Smack Dab in the Middle” from Count Basie’s book; and “Blue Skies,” arranged by Mark Taylor. Both groups are directed by professor of music Dr. John Paulson. Two jazz workshop combos directed by Dr. Paulson and Eric Heukeshoven will play for a reception following the concert in the Toner Student Center Lounge. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

•The SMU Concert Band will join the choirs for a 2 p.m. concert Saturday, Sept. 26, at Page Theatre. The Concert Choir and Chamber Singers, under the direction of Dr. Patrick O'Shea, and the Women’s Choir, directed by Lindsy O'Shea, will present works in English, Latin and the African Xhosa languages. The SMU Band will start the year by featuring two Minnesota composers’ works, “The Jig is Up” by Dan Kallman, and “Jazz March” by Frank Bencriscutto. Both works feature the percussion section. To round out the program, a beautiful setting of the traditional Irish hymn-tune “Be Thou My Vision,” will be performed, as well as music from “Offenbach” arranged by John Bourgeois (former director of the U.S. Marine Band), and the “Galop (from Genevieve de Brabant).” Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

Tickets to all three performances are available at the SMU Box Office, (507) 457-1715, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org. Tickets are also available at the door.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — The public is invited to participate in the 22nd Fall Frolic 5K fun run/walk, to be held during Saint Mary’s University’s Family Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 26. The event, held annually, is free to SMU students, faculty and staff, but is open to the community as well. Typically close to 500 people participate; competitors of all levels (including walkers) are welcome.

Registration will run from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in SMU’s Toner Student Center. The race begins at 10 a.m. The $8 cost includes a T-shirt.

Participants will enjoy the beautiful bluff trails of SMU’s Winona campus. Registration forms — as well as a complete weekend schedule — are available online at www.smumn.edu/familyweekend.

Family Weekend, which runs Sept. 25-27, includes a full slate of activities for families of students and the SMU community. In previous years, as many as 1,000 visitors have come onto campus for Family Weekend music and theatre events, sporting events, the Fall Frolic, and other games and activities.

The event, which begins at 7 p.m., will be held in the President’s Room of the Toner Student Center. The presentation — free and open to the public — is sponsored by the SMU Social Science Department. For more information, contact Dave Lynch, chair, Department of Social Science, at dlynch@smumn.edu or (507) 457-1526.

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — Official 10th-day-of-class statistics at the Saint Mary's University Winona campus show a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,404 — just down from last year’s record enrollment of 1,413. The third-highest enrollment was in 2002, when Saint Mary’s reported a total Winona undergraduate enrollment of 1,376.

This year’s total of 1,404 includes 1,343 full-time Winona-campus undergraduates and 61 part-time students.

A total of 330 freshmen are enrolled this fall.

Enrollment in the Saint Mary's University Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs will be released later this fall.

Thursday, September 03, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — The Saint Mary’s University Cardinal ‘M’ Club, in association with the Alumni Office, will induct three members into the SMU Sports Hall of Fame during Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12-13.

Along with the induction of this year’s Hall of Fame class, SMU’s 2008-09 postseason award-winners, as well as last year’s outstanding male and female athletes, and outstanding scholar athletes, will also be recognized. The weekend festivities begin on Friday with a men’s hockey alumni game, continue Saturday morning with a golf outing at Cedar Valley Golf Course and conclude on Sunday with a picnic and various alumni games on the SMU campus.

SMU HALL OF FAME, CLASS OF 2009

Tom Pepper, Chicago

A three-year letterwinner and an NAIA All-District performer his senior season, Tom Pepper still remains one of the premier scorers in SMU men’s basketball history. His 1,281 points and 16.9 career per-game scoring average rank him ninth all-time, despite having only played three seasons at Saint Mary’s, after transferring from NCAA Division I Loyola Marymount University. Upon graduation, Pepper traded in his sneakers for a coach’s whistle, coaching high school basketball at St. Mel’s and Farragut Academy in Chicago.

Sue Otto, Santa Monica, Calif.

A four-year letterwinner, Sue Otto was a stabilizing force for the Saint Mary’s University women’s soccer team — a team that won three Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and made three trips to the NCAA Division III national tournament, including a semifinal appearance in 1986. An All-MIAC First-Team selection in 1988 and 1989, Otto and the Cardinals lost just two conference games in her four-year career, going 47-2-0. Along with her all-conference honors, Otto was also a two-time First Team All-West Region pick in 1988-89, as well as a Third-Team All-American during her junior year, and a First-Team All-American and team MVP during her senior season. Otto appeared in 77 games during her four-year career, compiling 17 goals and 27 assists for 61 points. Her 27 assists rank No. 5 all-time in SMU women’s soccer history, while her 61 points are 11th and her 17 goals put her 12th.

Chad Doerre, Joliet, Ill.

A four-year letterwinner, Chad Doerre is one of the most accomplished pitchers to come through the Saint Mary’s baseball program. As a freshman, Doerre helped pitch the Cardinals to their most recent Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and a second-place showing in the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament. A two-time First-Team All-MIAC selection in 1995 and 1996, Doerre closed out his career with a 22-7 record with 11 complete games. He threw 197 innings, compiling a 2.38 earned-run-average, while walking 43 and striking out 143. His 22 wins and 197 innings pitch rank No. 1 all-time in SMU baseball history, while his 11 complete games and 143 strikeouts are No. 5 all-time. Doerre is also among the top 10 in ERA, ranking ninth at 2.38, while also proving productive at the plate, boasting a .330 career batting average and a .346 slugging percentage in 188 at-bats.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary’s University graduates from the last decade have been invited back to campus for the inaugural Young Alumni Reunion Weekend, Sept. 11-13.

Approximately 200 students are planning to attend the special weekend of events which will include a bonfire, a community outreach project, a faculty and staff social, ropes course activities, disc golfing and a pig roast picnic. The weekend also coincides with Cardinal ‘M’ Club Weekend, giving SMU alumni opportunities to cheer on Cardinal athletics. A special barbecue is planned for the anniversary class of 2004.

For more information about the Young Alumni Program, please contact Sabrina Kelly at (612) 238-4507 or skelly@smumn.edu.

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

WINONA, Minn. — The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will conduct a semester I registration open house from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Valéncia Arts Center, 1164 West 10th St.

Registration for semester I dance classes and MCA’s tuition-free youth choir – the Winona Area Youth Singers — will be accepted at the open house. Tours of the facility will be available, refreshments will be served, and students will have the opportunity to meet new and returning faculty and staff. Additionally, students can be fitted for dance attire at the open house. MCA’s dance attire boutique offers quality basics, including leotards, tights, ballet slippers, jazz shoes and tap shoes.

Classes begin Sept. 14. Dance class offerings — available for children age 3 through adults — include beginning through advanced levels in classical ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, Pilates, and a special tuition-free boys program which offers a Dance Technique for Boys class and performance opportunities. Semester I also provides programming in partnership with Winona County Community Education for teens and adults including: Teen and Adult Ballet, Clogging I, Clogging II, Dance Fitness, and Piyo.

MCA’s music division offers a youth choir – Winona Area Youth Singers, for students in grades four through eight. In response to the current economic climate, MCA is waiving WAYS tuition for any and all students who desire to participate for the 2009-2010 academic year. This tuition waiver is made possible by a grant from the Saint Mary’s University Friends of the School of the Arts.

Now in its second year, WAYS seeks to take young people who have been introduced to choir/music in their elementary, middle schools, or junior highs and further encourage and nurture their talent. WAYS members will participate in weekly sessions, a winter and spring concert, a special mentorship program with SMU Choirs, and in community outreach by performing at nursing homes, malls, charitable events and holiday caroling.

Academic credit is available through Cotter High School and Saint Mary’s dance minor program for a variety of MCA dance classes.

Semester I classes will provide 10 weeks of instruction, concluding with a demonstration week, Nov. 16-21.

Dance students ages 5 to 13 are also invited to audition for MCA’s Dance Repertory Company II Winter Showcase. Auditions are 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Valéncia Arts Center. The Winter Dance Showcases will be Dec. 4-5 at Valéncia Arts Center Academy Theatre.Winona Area Youth Singers will conclude Semester I following their winter concert, Dec, 6, at the Valéncia Arts Center Recital Hall.

Tuition for MCA classes varies depending on course length and level. Discounts and scholarships are available.

About Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is dedicated to advancing the educational and career goals of today’s students. Saint Mary’s has almost 5,700 students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in Winona, the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nairobi, Kenya.

At Saint Mary’s 100-year-old residential campus in Winona, the undergraduate College curriculum combines traditional liberal arts and sciences with career preparation in a student-centered environment.

The Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs is one of the largest graduate schools in Minnesota. A pioneer in outreach education since 1984, the SGPP creates communities of learning when and where they are needed, serving both adult learners and the educational needs of society.